ight visitor."

"He came back in a few minutes, but so transformed in outward
appearance that Ducie scarcely knew him."

"Behold!"

"Sister Agnes knelt for a few moments and bent her head in silent
prayer."

"He put his hand to his side, and motioned Mirpah to open the letter."

* * * * *

Illustrations to "The Bretons at Home."

[Illustration: I ADVANCED SLOWLY UP THE ROOM, STOPPED AND
CURTSIED.

Page 31.]

THE ARGOSY.

_JANUARY, 1891._

THE SILENT CHIMES.

PUTTING THEM UP.

I hardly know whether to write this history, or not; for its events did
not occur within my own recollection, and I can only relate them at
second-hand--from the Squire and others. They are curious enough;
especially as regards the three parsons--one following upon another--in
their connection with the Monk family, causing no end of talk in Church
Leet parish, as well as in other parishes within ear-shot.

About three miles' distance from Church Dykely, going northwards across
country, was the rural parish of Church Leet. It contained a few
farmhouses and some labourers' cottages. The church, built of grey
stone, stood in its large grave-yard; the parsonage, a commodious house,
was close by; both of them were covered with time-worn ivy. Nearly half
a mile off, on a gentle eminence, rose the handsome mansion called Leet
Hall, the abode of the Monk family. Nearly the whole of the
parish--land, houses, church and all--belonged to them. At the time I am
about to tell of they were the property of one man--Godfrey Monk.

The late owner of the place (except for one short twelvemonth) was old
James Monk, Godfrey's father. Old James had three sons and one
daughter--Emma--his wife dying early. The eldest son (mostly styled
"young James") was about as wild a blade as ever figured in story; the
second son, Raymond, was an invalid; the third, Godfrey, a reckless lad,
ran away to sea when he was fourteen.

If the Monks were celebrated for one estimable quality more than
another, it was temper: a cross-grained, imperious, obstinate temper.
"Run away to sea, has he?" cried old James when he heard the news; "very
well, at sea he shall stop." And at sea Godfrey did stop, not disliking
the life, and perhaps not finding any other open to him. He worked his
way up in the merchant service by degrees, until he became commander and
was called Captain Monk.

The years went on. Young